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Research
Creating Equitable Opportunities for Language and Literacy Development in Childhood and AdolescenceThe majority of children acquire language effortlessly but approximately 10% of all children find it difficult especially in the early or preschool years with consequences for many aspects of their subsequent development and experience: literacy, social skills, educational qualifications, mental health and employment.
Research
School readiness is more than the child: a latent class analysis of child, family, school and community aspects of school readinessIn this paper, we aim to contribute to the understanding of the multidimensional nature of school readiness. In a sample of over 4,000 Australian children in their first year of school, we used latent class analysis to examine patterns of school readiness based on child, family, school and community characteristics, and examine the relationship between these patterns of school readiness and subsequent outcomes (reading comprehension, school absence and emotional and behavioural difficulties).
Research
Strengthening student social and emotional wellbeing and preventing bullying behaviours: Insights from 20 years of Friendly Schools research in Australian schools.Strong evidence supports our current understandings of student bullying behaviours and ways schools can prevent and respond effectively to bullying behaviour. In the late 1990’s, however, little was understood about the most effective ways to reduce bullying in Australian schools. In response to schools’ need for evidence-informed action, a pipeline of research called Friendly Schools was initiated in 1999 which for the past twenty years, has provided robust whole-school evidence-based knowledge and skills to support policy makers, school staff and other practitioners working in schools and families across Australia.
Research
Associations Among Early Stimulation, Stunting, and Child Development in Four Countries in the East Asia–PacificThis study examined associations among preschool attendance, home learning activities, stunting status, and early child development using data from the validation study of the East Asia–Pacific Early Child Development Scales (EAP-ECDS).
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Early childhood education quality and child development in Lao PDRGlobally, as scale up of early childhood education (ECE) continues, monitoring ECE quality is imperative to promote service aspects that drive positive outcomes for children. Monitoring of ECE quality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is scarce, limited by challenges in varied conceptualisations of quality, lack of measurement tools that reflect local culture and context, and implementation difficulties in low resource settings.
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School-based mental health promotion: A global policy reviewSchools are increasingly recognized as important settings for mental health promotion, but it is unclear what actions schools should prioritize to promote student mental health and wellbeing. We undertook a policy review of global school-based mental health promotion policy documents from United Nations agencies to understand the frameworks they use and the actions they recommend for schools.

News & Events
The Kids researcher awarded prestigious EU Horizon 2020 grantProfessor Cate Taylor, is part of an International cohort of researchers to secure over €1.45million in grant funding from the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme.

News & Events
Project helps Ethan belongEthan recently took part in Belong, a study led by The Kids which aims to ensure deaf and hard of hearing kids have a happy & positive school experience
Research
Acceptability of OP/Na swabbing for SARS-CoV-2: a prospective observational cohort surveillance study in Western Australian schoolsWhen the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, Governments responded with lockdown and isolation measures to combat viral spread, including the closure of many schools. More than a year later, widespread screening for SARS-CoV-2 is critical to allow schools and other institutions to remain open.
Research
Economic Evaluation of an Intervention Designed to Reduce Bullying in Australian SchoolsThe aim of this study was to estimate the changes to costs and health benefits of implementing the "Friendly Schools Friendly Families" (FSFF) anti-bullying intervention in Australia.